The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-03
THE CITIZEN-NO. 3.
came Dangers to the Republic Which the
cood Citizen Will Seek to Overcome.

"a The corruption incident TO our elections
.l.-rniue We it in every election, mu-
80, state or national through which we
In our own city there ia class whose
,.s our ward politicians know very we'll can
=. boueht Sometimes one dollar, sometimes
80 sometimes five will purchase the vote;
-..;rnss "a drink" will secure what the Office
...ter most desires. In a southern county of
~. state. only few weeks since, was told by
nan who himself for Office last season,
~, he loaned several parties in agricultural
.;,.r;ct from So to $40 just before
I..,ion which be knew he never
lid have returned On the morning Of
.I...ion his opponent went to these same par
go and gave them fee and received their
-otss There is scarcely voting precinct in
..hicb there are not to be found those who will
Ill THAR votes tor price This form of cor
-,r.;on, 10 insidious and dangerous in the ex-
treme t
What is true OF Indianapolis and vicinity is
.,r.of each city in the Union. suppose. In a
,,,a number OF THE Century" Hon. Theo Roose-
al. late Republican candidate for Mayor of
Nav York has article on Machine Politics
IN New York City" In that article he describes
,ha uethods which prevail in elections, and the
srsten by which machine politics succeed. We
Snow. in general way, about all Mr. Roosevelt
tells u.s. but he gives us some specific figures
vrhf
What is true Of New York is true
az most cities, in the main, and yet
nrobably no city has drifted further away from
original purity and simplicity than has
Tnstronolis and it seems TO he growing worse.
Monsy ia the factor which procures the votes,
and il is being used each year more and more.
cot only to obtain Office. but for the purpose of
retaining Office. This evil does not depend upon
the candidates only. The whole political struct-
ure of our cities is so constituted that money
must be spent, matter how pure the individ-
nal may be who heads the ticket
Much of this money goes for what is called
Legitimate campaign expenses" but by far the
larger share of il goes TO the corruption fund
saws Mr. Roosevelt, in speaking of New York:
'Each captain of an election district is generally
maid a certain sum of money. Nominally this
money goes in paying the subord1nates and in
what are vaguely termed Campaign expenses
but as a matter of fact, it is in many
instances simply pocketed by the reclp-
lent Indeed very little of the large
amounts of money annually spent by
candidates to bride voters actually reaches the
voters supposed to be bribed. The money thus
furnished is procured either by subscriptions
from rich outsiders or by assessments upon the
candidates themselves. We know of an individ-
nal to whom 800 was given for the purpose of
putting it in saloons and places where it would
be supposed to do the most good. After the cleo
ton that individual made his boasts that one
penny OF that money found its way out of his
pocket for the purpose for which 1t was given.
No one will believe that he who furnishes money
for these corruption purposes does it for love of
country. His object is to procure votes, no mat
ter how It is dangerous method. Mr. Roose-
Welt tells of register of New York coun-
ty who testified under oath, before the leg
islative committee, that he had forgotten whether
bis campaign exposes had been over
or under $50, 600. Another county Of
feer questioned by this committee as
to the manner in which he performed his public
duties, testified that he performed them con-
Dcientiously whenever ''they did not conflict
cEith his political duties" His political duties
aud his obligations to his friends were evidently
placed before any duty or any obligation which
he under TO morality, honesty or govern
ment Our politicians are largely governed by
such method The sheriff of New York re-
ceives about 800. 900 per year, the county
clerk about $500 per year. Thus it will be
seen that the sheriff receives double the
salary of the President of the United
States, and the county clerk go per |
cent than the President But a |
large part Of these great salaries goes for the |
purpose of securing the Office. The same is true |
in Indianapolis and other places. Il takes |
wealthy to secure Office of any |
means runs. for office and fails,
the result is, nine times out OF ten,
that he will fail in business. For this reason
good business men and men OF high morality.
men of strict integrity, very slow to accept
nomination There is SO much uncertainty in
it; there Is much of dishonesty connected with
IL. and the expenses great, and the re-
duirements OF his constituency 80 many, that
but few sensible and honest men are willing to
cast in their lots with this crowd.
Mr WINS, of New York. in a late address be-
fore the Commonwealth Club, gave some inter-
estng figures. He tells that in that city !
there 8l2 election districts, with four in
spectors aud two poll clerks to each district Civ
ing aggregate of A. 872 election officers. They |
are paid by the city treasurer. Homiletical
Review, March 1887 One-half of these are
Democrats and the other half Republicans Thus
fund of 1921 900 is necessary for these persons
Mayor Grace paid $40, 900 to the County Democ- |
Tacy when be last ran. and the citizens com
mi ttee" for that year expended about SO 000 1t
is said that of the 2l9 992 votes poed in the late
election in New York more than 20 per cent of |
the voters received money for their election-day I
services. The moral evil of this is evident. |
State and municipal authorities should provide !
for the necessary expenses of elections. but
didates should be prohibited from giving money |
for election purposes 1t is q source Of cor |
ruptlon. Ii fills our Offices with bad men-men |
without conscience or Enthusiastically because
they have plenty Of money to spend
The English law limiting the amount to |
be spent, and requiring rigid account as to how |
1t was spent, is one that we ought to strive to |
have enacted in this country"
There is great need of political publication. |
ways and means without number have been |
suggested from time to time to rid us of the |
present system OF political management The |
caucus is thought to be the cause of much |
that is bad In modern politics, and substitutes |
for u have been suggested and urged as means |
of reform. But substitute has been discoy-
cred. We all know that the caucus is governed |
by arrogant ring without conscience, without |
aud without wisdom, a rule. 1t |
would that the most sffectual means of |
stopping the career of the professional politician
would be to stop the means of his subsistence.
A law was passed in England in 1883 known
as the ''Sir Henry James act" which must;
sooner or later, be passed substantially in this
country. The following are some OF the feat
ures of the law referred TO: IT defines 1
what are legal expenditures. 1t limits. |
under penalties. the total amount for eve7 |
strictly legal expenses. 1t requires full accounts
10 be fled by all candidates. and opens the courts
for trying election petitions. treating. hiring
vehicles to carry voters to the polls, paying
registration fees promising Office employ
ment having a COMMITTEES room in connection
with a saloon. and such things.
The lawful expenditures enumerated in
refail. The number of agents, clerks messen-
gers and committee-rooms are restricted accord
Ing TO the number OF polling places Only
certain salary Is allowed. There IS a limit to |
total expenditures including personal expenses
with the election. These accounts
must be fled, signed and sworn to by the caudi-
date whether elected or defeated, as we'll AS by
MS agents Thew must state where all the
money came from and went TO with xonnhers